You want your baby’s name to be unique and special. But after scouring through baby books, you’re still struggling to find a name that you really love.

Don’t sweat it. While baby books are a great source for finding names, they’re not the only place you should be looking. To find a name you love, you need to get a little creative and think outside the baby book.

1. Hobby Hunt

Hobbies can be one of our biggest sources of joy in life. And, they can also be a great resource for finding inspiration for a baby name.

Think about the hobbies that you engage in frequently and love the most. For example, if you love gardening, maybe a name like Lily or Rose would be a good choice for your baby. Or, let’s say you enjoy birdwatching. Then maybe a name like Robin or Wren would be up your alley.

2. Explore the Globe

One of the best sources for name inspiration that is often overlooked is researching popular names in other countries.

This can be a particularly good idea if you want your baby to have a unique name, (Or at least unique for where you live!)

There are so many beautiful names from other cultures that you likely have never even heard of. And all it takes is a quick Google search. For example, you could search “Most popular girl names in India,” and voila! You have a whole new list to browse through.

3. Social Security Website

The Social Security website may seem like an odd place to search for baby names, but hear us out first.

On the Social Security website, you can find the most popular names of today. And, if you’re into the idea of old-timey names, you can also jump back 100 years to discover popular names of the past.

For example, in 1925, the most popular boy names were Robert, John, and William, and the most popular girl names were Mary, Dorothy, and Betty.

4. The Silver Screen

Next time you decide to catch a flick, be ready to get inspired for baby name ideas.

Oftentimes, movie characters have very interesting names that you may be drawn. And, make sure to stick around for the credits this time!

Credits include so many names, that undoubtedly you’ll find inspiration somewhere along the way. Also, don’t forget to look at the last names as well. Oftentimes these provide unique ideas too.

And of course, don’t forget to think of the real names of the actors and actresses in the film. Getting inspiration from celebrities is quite popular, as evidenced in this blog here.

5. Map It Out

Whether you’re a globetrotter or not, taking out an old map to get inspiration for names can be a great idea.

First, think of names of cities that you love. Paris, London, and Florence all make beautiful names. But if you want a little less mainstream, dig deeper into your maps and check out names of smaller cities and towns- both here and overseas.

And if you really want to dig deep, don’t be afraid to check out street names as well. This is something you can even do next time you’re strolling to the park!

Unusual Baby Name Inspiration: Final Thoughts

Now that you have these ideas, it’s time to toss that baby book aside and start researching!

Got a place to find inspiration for baby names that wasn’t on this list? Let us know in the comments below!

About the Author

Amanda Acuña an influential Mom Blogger.
She created MommyMandy as an online resource to the parenting community. She is married to her high school sweetheart and has three daughters, ages 16,13, 6 and a son who is 3. They currently reside in Texas.